So I lowered my truck using the Belltech 3" front & 5 1/2" rear. Installation went perfect. Took it to a good shop that did the alignment. With the lower A arms notched per the instructions, the alignment came right into specs. Truck drives great. I think it look great and love it, but after driving awhile, the rear end would bottom out going over bumps in the road or even a big dip in the highway. So I installed the Air Lift SlamAIR kit. And now it is perfect. I just keep enough air pressure in the bags to raise the rear about an inch higher then the front. It actually improved the ride and no more bottoming out.
So my question to anyone that has done this exact drop is, did you notice losing some of your turning radius?
Unfortunately I did not measure the turning radius before and after. I only measured the truck height at each wheel to make sure after the drop that if it was off a little bit, I knew it was off when I started. BTW, only off about a 1/4" between all four wheels.
If anyone has seen this problem, please let me know if you fixed it or if you left it.
I have heard of grinding a little off the stops on the A arm to allow it to turn more, but it was for a different year/different kit.

I called Belltech about it and they said they had not heard of anyone else having this problem. I told them the installation was perfect, the directions were good and the results were good. It was in alignment, it sat perfect all the way around and it did not have any driveshaft vibrations.

 

what components were changed out in the front?

 

Just new front struts (springs and shocks). And then the bottom A arm mounts were notched(oblonged) to allow the A arm to come in further for alignment.

 

Side after lowering

 

Damn that looks great!

I'd bet the relationship between the spindle/knuckle and the LCA changed and it moved where the steering stop is located. I think its a pad on the LCA and a "cup" on the spindle side. It probably can be "shaved" on the cup side, to allow for more turning. Don't cut deeper into the cup section, just elongate the opening width, if that makes sense.

 

Mine is more of just a flat pad instead of a cup. They still line up, but I see where you were going with that. When I was looking at it, it looks like the only option was to grind a little bit off of the stud/nub side which is on the A arm. But I thought I should stop and think about it before doing so. I just don't see where any of that geometry changed that would affect the turning radius.
I don't think taking a little bit off the stud/nub would hurt, as long as I take a very little off one side, then take the same amount off the other side and then check for clearance again. I know I do have some clearance I could use up, but I am also wondering if it is worth doing it, meaning is taking an 1/8" off each side would actually make a noticeable difference???
I just looked in the brochure I kept. It gives all kinds of specifications, but it doesn't give the turn radius.

 

I just saw something on the internet that said 145" wheel base should be 23.5' turning radius.
Oh, and thanks for the compliment. I flew from Northern VA down to Miami to buy it. It was the only one I found that had everything that I wanted, without having to wait to order it. I was hooked on having the leather seats in the appearance package. The suede leather with red trim. It has more of a blacked out dash. Had to have the 5.0 and a 3.73 rear.
I like you 03. I had an 01 before a lady ran a stop sign and totaled it for me. My Dad has an 03 Harley edition, black and silver, that I really wanted. He sold it 3 months before my truck was totaled or I would have been driving that right now.

 

I wish my 5.0 had 3.73s. And it's only base trim STX sport. I'd love to lower it too but I actually use it for truck duties all the time.

Let me know what you come up with on the adjustment.

Wait actually, you slotted lower control arms in words right? Maybe the tires are rubbing the frame somewhere? Or maybe the LCA in changed the geometry of the steering as well since the tierods were shortened to adjust for that.


Oh and thanks for the compliments on my 03

 

I checked and I still have tire clearance. And I was thinking that it might be the tierod ends to, but they actually had enough to adjust in since it was about 3/8" and that maybe the steering rack was stopping it. But it wasn't. I was by myself checking everything, so I turned the wheel all the way and then had to get up under there. The knuckle is hitting the stop when turned all the way, both ways. I need to get it up on a lift and have someone in the truck turning it back and forth. Thanks for brainstorming on this. It just doesn't sound right to me either. But I have been driving trucks for 30 years. And I know what a supercrew pinched turns like, and that's what this turns like. I can live with it, but it would be easier if I can get a little more out of it.

 

Just a shave off the steering stop will go a long way. Remember you can always take more off more, but you can't put it back on

 

don't recall having lost much when I was 3/5.

now laying down I lost a bunch though.

 

When I can, I am going to measure the turning radius just for kicks. I guess I will put it up on the rack and shave what I can off the bump stops. Making sure I keep the clearance from everything.
It just seems crazy because I went from 2012 Platinum with a 157" wheelbase, which didn't turn so well in parking lots, to my 2013 FX2 145" wheelbase that I noticed was much easier in parking lots. I lowered it, and it felt like the 157" wheelbase again.
Thanks to everyone for your input!

 

 

Sorry I didn't write back awhile ago. I went with Patman's suggestion and ground the bump stops on the knuckle. Just kept doing a little at a time and checking wheel turning clearances. It didn't get back to stock turning radius, but it was noticeably better. I haven't checked it in a parking lot yet. Guess there was no sense checking since that was the best it was going to get.